During my first year at WPI, I took a whole bunch of art classes. One of those classes introduced me to the Bauhaus style.
Bauhaus refers to a style of art (or perhaps design is a better word) that developed from a German school. The basics of the style was functional art. I remember one of the slides that Professor Samson showed us was of a beautiful bauhaus teapot. When I saw this, it ingrained in my mind the idea that teapots should be both functional and beautiful.
In Ukraine we had a lot of tea and I realized that I enjoy it a lot. Prior to Ukraine, I’d have tea now and again and it was tasty, but it wasn’t more than an occasional treat. Now that I’m back I think I want to tea it up more regularly. And thus began my hunt for an awesome teapot.
Teapot #1.
Wow that’s snazzy! But you can’t put it on a range and it has no desirable feature other than the fact that you can see the steeping process.
Teapot #2.
Hmm. Less snazzy. It’s got a plastic handle and also can’t be put on a range. BUT Ryan Schenk points out that it has a french press like system that allows you to get the tea out early and not let the beverage go bitter.
Teapot #3.
Hmm. I like this one. It’s double walled stainless steel. I’m pretty sure it can go on the range, but it may not have the really sweet functionality of the one above. (it also comes in cool porcelain)
Teapot #4.
I think Viv has this one (or one like it), but again it’s more of a steeping tool than a range top teapot.
So I’m stuck. Do any of you have good teapot recommendations that are both stylish and functional? Schenk points out that getting an electric water heater is more efficient than heating up water on my gas range and that would allow me to get a steeping pot that could generate a higher quality beverage, but I don’t know. I still want something classy and cool too. I’m conflicted.
Don’t you mean art history classes? Prof. Samson was the best. I think his classes were my favorite classes at WPI.
Also I wasn’t voting for an electric kettle for quality, per se, but for flat-out speed. Our electric kettle will boil water like 4x faster than our gas range.
Also, if you go the separate-electric-kettle route, you could also use it to make french pressed coffee!
I think he does…
Anyways, i would buy #2 for two reasons:
1, you don’t really want to boil the water on the stove as its a pretty inefficient way to heat up water.
2. I trust bodum with all of my hot beverage contraptions and thus imagine that their french press-like device would be pretty awesome and reminds me of that free adagio tea maker that we got a couple of years back… oh, those were the days… getting free stuff from the internet.
I vote #2 as well. Jon Abad and I are in agree.
(That’s how you say “agreement” when you’re tasting wine.)
Get this one http://www.suck.uk.com/product.php?rangeID=103
Also, I highly suspect that #4 is NOT a teapot, but actually one of those disgusting nasal irrigators like my wife has.
Likely unattainable, but some are pretty sweet
http://www.redskygallery.com/html/artistresults.asp?artist=782&testing=true
You should take a ceramics class with all that free time you have and make your own!
Wait! This is WAY more you…
http://cgi.ebay.com/TINKERBELL-2008-TEAPOT-W%2F2-MATCHING-CUPS-&-SAUCERS-TEA_W0QQitemZ200296784560QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20090109?IMSfp=TL090109112010r14939
Absolutely, you should make your own. It would be awesome.
You definitely want a glass teapot with a removable and large steeping thing. But you never want to press the leaves, so i don’t know if the bodum one does that.
Get an electronic kettle to heat your water.
But you definitely want this sweet Bodum unit:
http://www.bodumusa.com/shop/line.asp?MD=2&GID=7&LID=519&CHK=&SLT=&mscssid=WK63HS96GEAP9HVD8NQKSV5QSCW6B1MC
I got my teapot from Adagio, which is also a great place to get loose tea. It’s glass and German, but they stopped making it.
Aforementioned Bodum pot #2 on the list doesn’t so much press the leaves, it plunges them into a sealed part of the steeper thing. That way you can keep the steeper thing in the pot, but stop the leaves from brewing. I think it’s pretty durned ingenious
If I may…a few other suggestions:
http://www.geekologie.com/2007/09/toaster_teapot_combines_toaste.php
http://www.oliverhemming.com/productlist.php?t_id=19 This one looks great, but can’t be used on a stovetop.
http://www.productdose.com/article.php?article_id=4816
http://www.productwiki.com/smar-tea-teapot/
You need to find someone to wear a Bauhaus sweater for sweater Thursday. There is a place you can get kits online to make them in the original styles, they are awesome.
Also I agree with everyone, even if you don’t get an electric kettle(I don’t have one b/c I don’t want to dedicate counter space to it) and brew your tea in a separate teapot. Although I don’t know about all these crazy tea presses, I don’t think brew baskets are that inconvenient.
I am a crazy tea fanatic. You have now been adequately warned.
1. I have teapot number 2, it sucks. It drips tea everywhere and I hate how it is made of plastic. Also, you shouldn’t press tea leaves.
2. I also have a teapot similar to number 4. If it is high quality German tempered/lab glass (Jenaer or Schott), then it can be kept warm on a stand using a tealight. http://ecx.images-amazon.com/image/I/414DPAD0C5L._SL500_AA280_.jpg
It was featured in the MoMA.
3. Good tea is almost never made in the pot where the water is boiled. Tea is best steeped with water that has just come off the boil or near boiling. That’s why there are teapots (for steeping) and kettles (for boiling). If you want a glass kettle to go on the stove this is a good one:
http://www.adagio.com/teaware/water_kettle.html?SID=31d6e2001aebfbb360721f3a7a626f46
I have it and it works great (and you can see exactly when the water is boiling). And if you really wanted, you could probably steep tea in it.
4. The best teapots for steeping tea are ceramic (keeps it warm) and round, like this: http://www.englishteastore.com/brbete.html The roundness lets the tea leaves move freely through the water as you pour it into the pot.
5. I think the best compromise is a glass teapot, either by Wagenfeld (a Bauhaus design school leader) or Jenaer/Schott. Like this Bauhaus glass teapot (maybe just like #4?) http://www.jenaer-glas.com/html/wagenfeld_e.htm
It is round, well designed and can be heated on a stand over a lit tealight.
whoa
I was confused I’m thinking of Bohus sweaters wich are Swedish, not German.
Bauhaus style of typography is effective in conveying the message of the design. Balanced layout, harmonious geometric shapes, vibrant colors, and sans-serif letters in upper case or lower case fonts are simple but strong.